Entrepreneurs who are in the business of shipping their products to bigger markets need to be familiar with how to transport their products effectively. Pallet shipments are one of the most common ways of distributing goods en masse and should be the first choice of any business owner who is just getting started.
However, if you want to send a parcel to the UK or from the UK, then you need to know the essentials of how to pack this pallet properly.
Let’s look at some of the specific things you need to know about how to pack pallets for shipments.
Properly Pack Each Box
The first step involved in putting together a perfect pallet for a shipment is to pack each individual box properly. What this entails is that each box is filled up with no air. If you do have air pockets, then be sure to fill these up with packing materials such as foam or bubble wrap. Make sure to also think about the distribution of weight in each box. It should be relatively even to avoid stability issues when the pallet is being transported.
Stack Boxes Evenly
When your boxes are all filled up, then it is time to stack them properly. This is usually best done by staggering each layer to keep the weight evenly distributed and to keep things in place. If you do have individual boxes that have different weights, then make sure to keep heavier items on the bottom of the stack and lighter ones on the top. This might seem like common sense; however, it gets forgotten all too often in the shipping business.
As a final pointer at this stage, be sure to keep your stack even all the way to the top. You do not want to have any boxes hanging off of the stack where they might get knocked off and threaten the stability of the entire pallet.
Insert Flat Cardboard
When you are stacking your layers of boxes, it is also important to throw in some flat pieces of cardboard after every few layers. This will add extra stability to the stack by distributing the weight of each layer more evenly.
Adding hard cardboard corners to a pallet stack can also add a lot of stability to a pallet, so add these if you have the option.
Use Shrink Wrap
When the stack is complete and even, then it is time to wrap everything up with shrink wrap. Make sure to be generous when applying the wrap. There is no sense in going easy with it. You want to make sure that the wrap you are using is robust and of good quality to avoid rips and tears when the pallet is in transit.
Avoid Common Mistakes
Even a simple process like preparing a pallet can lead to many mistakes being made. For example, you will need to avoid using the wrong size of pallet for the number of goods that you are shipping. You also need to check on the maximum weight capacity of the pallet you are using to make sure that it does not break while it is being transported.
A final tip: make sure to insure your shipment to be able to seek financial compensation if anything happens to it. No business can afford to lose out on damaged or lost goods.
Ship With Ease
Following these steps will help your business make its first pallet shipment with ease. Make sure to follow each step carefully, and avoid the common mistakes, to reduce the chances that any problems arise. Also, if you need Pallet Busters, check out The 10 Best Pallet Busters for medium size shipping companies.
